Libral, +1 Stamina. The Libral live in a land that would be unfamiliar to most of their Senpet brethren; the High Steppes are an unforgiving landscape of hills and plateaus with little plant life, nearly the opposite of the flat landscape that many Senpet are used to. For all that difference however, the Libral are incredibly loyal to their Empire, and even now are one of the strongest resistors to Yodotai rule. This is not to say they are all adamant in their resistance, there are many who remember the tales of how they once resisted the Senpet when they first arrived, and they wonder if these new rulers will be as the old.
Kishan, +1 Strength. The Kishan lost the most in the war against the Yodotai. Living East of the Capital, the Kishan were in the direct path of the Yodotai war machine and as such the majority of the 20 year long war occurred on their lands. Entire towns were destroyed in the fighting, but the Kishan do not blame the Yodotai alone for their troubles, the Senpet who were all to eager to throw Kishan lives into the battles take their fair share of blame as well from the Kishan. The survivors are a rough lot that are mostly more interested in rebuilding their homes and their lives than fighting for one side or the other.
Pent, +1 Awareness. The Pent are a nearly nomadic group of people living at the Southern edge of the Senpet Empire. It is the Pent that have had the most contact with Medinaat Al-Salaam, and therefore it is little surprise that they have been the most corrupted by the reign of the Immortal Caliph. Ghuls have also become more prevalent, an eerie sign that the usual duties of killing such beasts are either not being properly taken care of, or there is a sharp increase in the number of Ghuls. Furthermore rumors abound that many Khadi are being hidden by the Pent in return for power. It is impossible to say if such allegations are true, but it has been enough to keep the Pent under a watchful eye.
Existing Schools
Senpet Legionnaire
Trait: +1 Reflexes
Integrity: 4.5
Skills: Battle, Defense, Hunting (Survival), Swordsmanship, Lore: Theology 2, Any one skill
Outfit: Khopesh, shamshir, chain shirt, sandals, tunic, traveling pack, any one weapon, 5 copper
Errata: Replace all instances of "While mounted on a chariot" with "while mounted".
Senpet Sahir
Trait: +1 Any Trait
Integrity: 2.5
Skills: Defense, Medicine, Meditation, Spellcraft, Lore: Theology (The Ten Thousand Gods) 2, Any one High or Bugei skill
Outfit: tunic, sandals, traveling pack, 5 copper
Technique: By the Grace of Gods
Unlike most of the sahir of the Burning Sands, the Senpet do not manipulate Hakhim's Seal to cast their spells. Instead, their prayers to the Ten Thousand Gods allow them to channel the forces of magic. You may spend any number of Void Points up your rank in the Lore: Theology Skill on your roll when casting a spell.
Spells: The Sacred Spells of the Senpet (Sacrifice of the Gods and Voice of the Ten Thousand) plus one spell from any Discipline of your choice. At each new rank, you gain two new spells of your choice, following the normal rules for such.
Senpet Marksmen (Warrior)
The Senpet Marksmen are some of the premier archers in the Burning Sands, and some would argue in the world. The Archer has focused upon honing their skills with an arrow, nearly to the exclusion of all other weapons, usually only carrying a knife to defend themselves with on the slim chance an enemy gets close enough to strike at them. The Senpet Marksmen have served for hundreds of years and during the war against the Yodotai they featured prominently. In the end it became apparent that it would not be enough. Some Archers defected to the side of the Yodotai, others simply disappeared into the shadows, and the rest died in battle or were taken captive. Since the Yodotai conquest of the Senpet, the Senpet Marksmen have mostly been working as mercenary troops for their new lords but some units still remain with the resistance.
Benefit: +1 Reflexes
Integrity: 4.5
Skills: Archery (Composite longbow) 2, Defense, Hunting, Knives, Lore: Theology, any one skill.
Outfit: Composite longbow and one hundred arrows (any type), Sikin, Adaga, Chain shirt, tunic and sandals, traveling pack, 10 copper.
Techniques
Rank 1: The Gods Hands
The bowman’s hands are guided by the hands of the Ten Thousand, as the temples of the Senpet preach. You gain a +1k0 bonus to all Defense and Hunting skill rolls. In addition, you may add your Theology skill Rank to the total of all attack rolls.
Rank 2: Sting of the Gods
The Archer must strike precisely, even if that means giving up some of the power of the blow. Before your attack you may sacrifice a number of rolled damage dice no greater than your School Rank and roll that many additional dice on your attack roll.
Rank 3: Divine Guidance
Senpet Archers feel the guidance of the Ten Thousand at all times, assisting them in their battles. Making attacks with a bow is a simple action.
Rank 4: Yoroth’s Arrow
The deity of the bow, Yoroth, is known for never missing his mark no matter what gets in his way. When you spend a Void Point to enhance a ranged attack roll you gain an additional free raise on that roll.
Rank 5: Ten Thousand Arrows
A true master of the bow can empty his quiver as quickly as the blink of an eye, according to Senpet doctrine. If you have attacked twice this round using a bow and hit two different targets you may make an attack with a bow as a free action against one of those targets.
Senpet Assessor (Diplomat)
Before their fall, the Senpet used slave labor to complete many of their grand works. It was the job of the Assessors to go out into the world and buy the proper slaves, ensuring that the glory of the Senpet Empire continued. The Assessors also served as valuable diplomats, keeping ties between the Senpet and their neighbors cordial, even as they bought them as slaves. When the Senpet fell upon hard times it was the Assessors that came to Medinaat Al-Salaam and worked out deals with the Immortal Caliph, and when the war with the Yodotai began, it was the Assessors which tried valiantly to hold the Yodotai at bay with threats of allies, but for the crime of enslaving those with the same blood as the Yodotai unknowingly, they were offered no quarter. Since the fall of the Empire, the Assessors have been forced into the world at large, desperately searching for allies that might help them take their home back.
Benefit: +1 Awareness
Integrity: 4.5
Skills: Courtier, Commerce (Appraisal), Sincerity, Etiquette, Lore: Theology, any low skill, any one skill.
Outfit: Fine Tunic, Knife, Sandals, Traveling Pack, 15 copper.
Techniques
Rank 1: A Careful Eye
The Senpet Assessor must always have an eye out for a useful slave, and an Assessor that cannot is looked upon poorly by their fellows. A number of times per day equal to your School Rank you may make an Awareness/Commerce (Appraisal) roll against a TN of 10 plus their opponent's Insight Rank x 5. If successful, they learn one of the target's Traits. Raises may be made on this roll to learn more information by one per raise.
Rank 2: Assurance in Duty
You are so certain of your superiority over those you are negotiating with that they begin to doubt themselves. Opponents in a contested Commerce or Courtier skill roll must make an additional raise (for no effect) in order to make the roll.
Rank 3: 10,000 Words
An Assessor’s faith in the 10,000 is absolute, and for this faith the 10,000 whisper to the Assessor when they sense falsehood. Attempts to lie or mislead you suffer a -2k0 penalty to the roll. In addition, when using A Careful Eye and can use raises to determine skills in the same manner as Traits.
Rank 4: Speaking for All
The Senpet sometimes make use of cat’s-paws, getting others to do their will while they remain in the clear. A number of times per session equal to your School Rank you may spend a Void point to force your opponent in a Contested Social roll to use a mental trait that you have already discovered of your choice instead of the trait called for.
Rank 5: Know the Enemy
By the time an Assessor has gained this much knowledge, they can, with a glance, know what their competition will say before they even know themselves. You may call four raises when using A Careful Eye against someone. If you succeed you gain a +5k0 bonus on all Contested Social rolls against that target for the rest of the day. You may also use A Careful Eye to determine advantages and disadvantages, the GM determines what advantages and disadvantages are learned.
Senpet Architect (Artisan)
The Great Eye of the Desert ranks among the largest cities in the entire world, and it is not by chance that this occurred. At the beginning of the Senpet Empires birth, the Pharaoh declared that The Great Eye would be the most spectacular city to have ever existed. The architects of the city took his challenge and did extraordinary things. Pillars were built high enough that it seemed they almost touched the clouds; giant paintings covered the extensive walls of the vast pyramids meant to entomb dead pharaohs. Everywhere you looked in The Great Eye of the Desert there were signs of the glory of the Senpet. Since the Yodotai have come in, the city has fallen into disrepair. The great drought left the city wallowing in thirst, with little time for maintaining what had already been built, let alone expanding further. Furthermore when the legions of the Yodotai took the city, many citizens fled to the South. The population of the city has shrunken dramatically and though the drought has let up some, the current population is barely being supported by the water available. Through all this disaster, the Architects have survived. Many still live in The Great Eye, trying desperately to recapture the spark that was there. Others though have moved on, some to Medinaat Al-Salaam where they are attempting to build a new home that is grander than the last. Some have even gone to the Yodotai, bringing their artistic talents to the already rather spectacular engineering feats of the Yodotai.
Benefit: +1 Intelligence
Integrity: 5.5
Skills: Calligraphy (Cipher), Lore: Theology, Artisan (pick one), Craft (pick one), 2 Engineering, one high skill.
Outfit: Tunic, sandals, crafting tools, traveling pack, 15 copper.
Techniques
Rank 1: The First Stone
The act of creation of art is a veneration of the gods. Choose one artisan or craft skill, you gain a +2k0 bonus to all rolls with that skill. When crafting an object you may make one raise to make you or a person of your choice gain a number of Reputation points equal to your School Rank. You may only use this ability once per month.
Rank 2: 10,000 Careful Eyes
The understanding that the eyes of the Gods are upon them inspires Architects to great success. By spending a Void, you may reroll any Artisan or Crafting roll in which you possess at least one rank, keeping whichever roll is higher.
Rank 3: The Foundation
Just as a single strong floor may support many floors above it, so to may an experienced Architect enable lesser artisans to join them in great works. You may oversee the work of a number of workers equal to your School Rank plus your Craft/Artisan Skill rank (based upon the task) who are working upon a common project; these individuals may operate as if they had your skill instead of their own, though they must use their own Rings. In addition, the Architect's understanding of the nature of one art allows him to understand more of others; you may add your skill rank in your chosen skill from Rank 1 to the total of all Artisan or Craft rolls you make.
Rank 4: To Make a Name
Your name and the name of those you venerate are one. You may grant a number of Reputation points equal to your own Reputation rank to any one person who you chose to focus upon in your work. This technique may be used once per week and replaces the technique from rank one.
Rank 5: The Keystone
A Master architect can bring beauty to even the most mundane of objects with nigh-miraculous speed. Your construction costs are now halved and the time of construction is calculated based upon this reduced cost.
Senpet Paths Brothers of the Black Shield (Bushi)
The Brothers of the Black Shield are an elite unit of guardsmen whose duty it is to protect people of importance within the Senpet Empire and to protect the ideals of the Empire. This group was founded in the Seventh Century by an enigmatic duo of brothers who saved the Pharaoh from a coup attempt by a traitorous general. Since that time, the Brothers of the Black Shield have defended Senpet citizens from high nobility to lowly peasant. After the fall of the Empire, the Brothers stayed, continuing to defend those who cannot defend themselves.
Technique Rank: 2
Replaces: Senpet Legionnaire and Senpet Charioteer 2
Technique: You may guard an ally against a number of opponents equal to your School Rank. In addition, the person you are guarding gains an additional bonus of +10 to their Armor TN.
Priest of the 10, 000 (Monk)
Religion is all important to the Senpet people, and this path emphasizes this importance among all their citizens, from the mighty warrior to the talented sahir. In an age where each Senpet must be able to both wield a sword and be capable of gathering allies, the Priests have become a powerful way to do this as well as remind each Senpet of the gods they refuse to let fade away.
Technique Rank: 2
Replaces: Any Senpet Rank 2 technique.
Technique: You gain two free raises every day. These raises may only be used for attack, spellcasting, and social skill rolls. Once used the raise is gone until it refills the next day.
Families
Theban, +1 Void.Libral, +1 Stamina. The Libral live in a land that would be unfamiliar to most of their Senpet brethren; the High Steppes are an unforgiving landscape of hills and plateaus with little plant life, nearly the opposite of the flat landscape that many Senpet are used to. For all that difference however, the Libral are incredibly loyal to their Empire, and even now are one of the strongest resistors to Yodotai rule. This is not to say they are all adamant in their resistance, there are many who remember the tales of how they once resisted the Senpet when they first arrived, and they wonder if these new rulers will be as the old.
Kishan, +1 Strength. The Kishan lost the most in the war against the Yodotai. Living East of the Capital, the Kishan were in the direct path of the Yodotai war machine and as such the majority of the 20 year long war occurred on their lands. Entire towns were destroyed in the fighting, but the Kishan do not blame the Yodotai alone for their troubles, the Senpet who were all to eager to throw Kishan lives into the battles take their fair share of blame as well from the Kishan. The survivors are a rough lot that are mostly more interested in rebuilding their homes and their lives than fighting for one side or the other.
Pent, +1 Awareness. The Pent are a nearly nomadic group of people living at the Southern edge of the Senpet Empire. It is the Pent that have had the most contact with Medinaat Al-Salaam, and therefore it is little surprise that they have been the most corrupted by the reign of the Immortal Caliph. Ghuls have also become more prevalent, an eerie sign that the usual duties of killing such beasts are either not being properly taken care of, or there is a sharp increase in the number of Ghuls. Furthermore rumors abound that many Khadi are being hidden by the Pent in return for power. It is impossible to say if such allegations are true, but it has been enough to keep the Pent under a watchful eye.
Existing Schools
Senpet LegionnaireTrait: +1 Reflexes
Integrity: 4.5
Skills: Battle, Defense, Hunting (Survival), Swordsmanship, Lore: Theology 2, Any one skill
Outfit: Khopesh, shamshir, chain shirt, sandals, tunic, traveling pack, any one weapon, 5 copper
Senpet Charioteer
Trait: +1 Agility,
Integrity: 4.5
Skills: Archery, Battle, Horsemanship (Chariot), Swordsmanship, Lore: Theology, Any two skills
Outfit: Khopesh, composite bow and 20 arrows, chain shirt, sandals, tunic, chariot, horse, traveling pack, 5 copper
Errata: Replace all instances of "While mounted on a chariot" with "while mounted".
Senpet Sahir
Trait: +1 Any Trait
Integrity: 2.5
Skills: Defense, Medicine, Meditation, Spellcraft, Lore: Theology (The Ten Thousand Gods) 2, Any one High or Bugei skill
Outfit: tunic, sandals, traveling pack, 5 copper
Technique: By the Grace of Gods
Unlike most of the sahir of the Burning Sands, the Senpet do not manipulate Hakhim's Seal to cast their spells. Instead, their prayers to the Ten Thousand Gods allow them to channel the forces of magic. You may spend any number of Void Points up your rank in the Lore: Theology Skill on your roll when casting a spell.
Spells: The Sacred Spells of the Senpet (Sacrifice of the Gods and Voice of the Ten Thousand) plus one spell from any Discipline of your choice. At each new rank, you gain two new spells of your choice, following the normal rules for such.
Paths
Ghul Destroyer (Sahir)
Rank: 3
Requirements: Lore: Ghuls 4
Ghul Hunter (Warrior)
Rank: 3
Requirements: Lore: Ghuls 4
Homebrew Schools
Senpet Marksmen (Warrior)The Senpet Marksmen are some of the premier archers in the Burning Sands, and some would argue in the world. The Archer has focused upon honing their skills with an arrow, nearly to the exclusion of all other weapons, usually only carrying a knife to defend themselves with on the slim chance an enemy gets close enough to strike at them. The Senpet Marksmen have served for hundreds of years and during the war against the Yodotai they featured prominently. In the end it became apparent that it would not be enough. Some Archers defected to the side of the Yodotai, others simply disappeared into the shadows, and the rest died in battle or were taken captive. Since the Yodotai conquest of the Senpet, the Senpet Marksmen have mostly been working as mercenary troops for their new lords but some units still remain with the resistance.
Benefit: +1 Reflexes
Integrity: 4.5
Skills: Archery (Composite longbow) 2, Defense, Hunting, Knives, Lore: Theology, any one skill.
Outfit: Composite longbow and one hundred arrows (any type), Sikin, Adaga, Chain shirt, tunic and sandals, traveling pack, 10 copper.
Techniques
Rank 1: The Gods Hands
The bowman’s hands are guided by the hands of the Ten Thousand, as the temples of the Senpet preach. You gain a +1k0 bonus to all Defense and Hunting skill rolls. In addition, you may add your Theology skill Rank to the total of all attack rolls.
Rank 2: Sting of the Gods
The Archer must strike precisely, even if that means giving up some of the power of the blow. Before your attack you may sacrifice a number of rolled damage dice no greater than your School Rank and roll that many additional dice on your attack roll.
Rank 3: Divine Guidance
Senpet Archers feel the guidance of the Ten Thousand at all times, assisting them in their battles. Making attacks with a bow is a simple action.
Rank 4: Yoroth’s Arrow
The deity of the bow, Yoroth, is known for never missing his mark no matter what gets in his way. When you spend a Void Point to enhance a ranged attack roll you gain an additional free raise on that roll.
Rank 5: Ten Thousand Arrows
A true master of the bow can empty his quiver as quickly as the blink of an eye, according to Senpet doctrine. If you have attacked twice this round using a bow and hit two different targets you may make an attack with a bow as a free action against one of those targets.
Senpet Assessor (Diplomat)
Before their fall, the Senpet used slave labor to complete many of their grand works. It was the job of the Assessors to go out into the world and buy the proper slaves, ensuring that the glory of the Senpet Empire continued. The Assessors also served as valuable diplomats, keeping ties between the Senpet and their neighbors cordial, even as they bought them as slaves. When the Senpet fell upon hard times it was the Assessors that came to Medinaat Al-Salaam and worked out deals with the Immortal Caliph, and when the war with the Yodotai began, it was the Assessors which tried valiantly to hold the Yodotai at bay with threats of allies, but for the crime of enslaving those with the same blood as the Yodotai unknowingly, they were offered no quarter. Since the fall of the Empire, the Assessors have been forced into the world at large, desperately searching for allies that might help them take their home back.
Benefit: +1 Awareness
Integrity: 4.5
Skills: Courtier, Commerce (Appraisal), Sincerity, Etiquette, Lore: Theology, any low skill, any one skill.
Outfit: Fine Tunic, Knife, Sandals, Traveling Pack, 15 copper.
Techniques
Rank 1: A Careful Eye
The Senpet Assessor must always have an eye out for a useful slave, and an Assessor that cannot is looked upon poorly by their fellows. A number of times per day equal to your School Rank you may make an Awareness/Commerce (Appraisal) roll against a TN of 10 plus their opponent's Insight Rank x 5. If successful, they learn one of the target's Traits. Raises may be made on this roll to learn more information by one per raise.
Rank 2: Assurance in Duty
You are so certain of your superiority over those you are negotiating with that they begin to doubt themselves. Opponents in a contested Commerce or Courtier skill roll must make an additional raise (for no effect) in order to make the roll.
Rank 3: 10,000 Words
An Assessor’s faith in the 10,000 is absolute, and for this faith the 10,000 whisper to the Assessor when they sense falsehood. Attempts to lie or mislead you suffer a -2k0 penalty to the roll. In addition, when using A Careful Eye and can use raises to determine skills in the same manner as Traits.
Rank 4: Speaking for All
The Senpet sometimes make use of cat’s-paws, getting others to do their will while they remain in the clear. A number of times per session equal to your School Rank you may spend a Void point to force your opponent in a Contested Social roll to use a mental trait that you have already discovered of your choice instead of the trait called for.
Rank 5: Know the Enemy
By the time an Assessor has gained this much knowledge, they can, with a glance, know what their competition will say before they even know themselves. You may call four raises when using A Careful Eye against someone. If you succeed you gain a +5k0 bonus on all Contested Social rolls against that target for the rest of the day. You may also use A Careful Eye to determine advantages and disadvantages, the GM determines what advantages and disadvantages are learned.
Senpet Architect (Artisan)
The Great Eye of the Desert ranks among the largest cities in the entire world, and it is not by chance that this occurred. At the beginning of the Senpet Empires birth, the Pharaoh declared that The Great Eye would be the most spectacular city to have ever existed. The architects of the city took his challenge and did extraordinary things. Pillars were built high enough that it seemed they almost touched the clouds; giant paintings covered the extensive walls of the vast pyramids meant to entomb dead pharaohs. Everywhere you looked in The Great Eye of the Desert there were signs of the glory of the Senpet. Since the Yodotai have come in, the city has fallen into disrepair. The great drought left the city wallowing in thirst, with little time for maintaining what had already been built, let alone expanding further. Furthermore when the legions of the Yodotai took the city, many citizens fled to the South. The population of the city has shrunken dramatically and though the drought has let up some, the current population is barely being supported by the water available. Through all this disaster, the Architects have survived. Many still live in The Great Eye, trying desperately to recapture the spark that was there. Others though have moved on, some to Medinaat Al-Salaam where they are attempting to build a new home that is grander than the last. Some have even gone to the Yodotai, bringing their artistic talents to the already rather spectacular engineering feats of the Yodotai.
Benefit: +1 Intelligence
Integrity: 5.5
Skills: Calligraphy (Cipher), Lore: Theology, Artisan (pick one), Craft (pick one), 2 Engineering, one high skill.
Outfit: Tunic, sandals, crafting tools, traveling pack, 15 copper.
Techniques
Rank 1: The First Stone
The act of creation of art is a veneration of the gods. Choose one artisan or craft skill, you gain a +2k0 bonus to all rolls with that skill. When crafting an object you may make one raise to make you or a person of your choice gain a number of Reputation points equal to your School Rank. You may only use this ability once per month.
Rank 2: 10,000 Careful Eyes
The understanding that the eyes of the Gods are upon them inspires Architects to great success. By spending a Void, you may reroll any Artisan or Crafting roll in which you possess at least one rank, keeping whichever roll is higher.
Rank 3: The Foundation
Just as a single strong floor may support many floors above it, so to may an experienced Architect enable lesser artisans to join them in great works. You may oversee the work of a number of workers equal to your School Rank plus your Craft/Artisan Skill rank (based upon the task) who are working upon a common project; these individuals may operate as if they had your skill instead of their own, though they must use their own Rings. In addition, the Architect's understanding of the nature of one art allows him to understand more of others; you may add your skill rank in your chosen skill from Rank 1 to the total of all Artisan or Craft rolls you make.
Rank 4: To Make a Name
Your name and the name of those you venerate are one. You may grant a number of Reputation points equal to your own Reputation rank to any one person who you chose to focus upon in your work. This technique may be used once per week and replaces the technique from rank one.
Rank 5: The Keystone
A Master architect can bring beauty to even the most mundane of objects with nigh-miraculous speed. Your construction costs are now halved and the time of construction is calculated based upon this reduced cost.
Senpet Paths
Brothers of the Black Shield (Bushi)
The Brothers of the Black Shield are an elite unit of guardsmen whose duty it is to protect people of importance within the Senpet Empire and to protect the ideals of the Empire. This group was founded in the Seventh Century by an enigmatic duo of brothers who saved the Pharaoh from a coup attempt by a traitorous general. Since that time, the Brothers of the Black Shield have defended Senpet citizens from high nobility to lowly peasant. After the fall of the Empire, the Brothers stayed, continuing to defend those who cannot defend themselves.
Technique Rank: 2
Replaces: Senpet Legionnaire and Senpet Charioteer 2
Technique: You may guard an ally against a number of opponents equal to your School Rank. In addition, the person you are guarding gains an additional bonus of +10 to their Armor TN.
Priest of the 10, 000 (Monk)
Religion is all important to the Senpet people, and this path emphasizes this importance among all their citizens, from the mighty warrior to the talented sahir. In an age where each Senpet must be able to both wield a sword and be capable of gathering allies, the Priests have become a powerful way to do this as well as remind each Senpet of the gods they refuse to let fade away.
Technique Rank: 2
Replaces: Any Senpet Rank 2 technique.
Technique: You gain two free raises every day. These raises may only be used for attack, spellcasting, and social skill rolls. Once used the raise is gone until it refills the next day.